PW_3_2019

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Birmingham, West Midlands Friendship Weekend Andy Gregory , Secretary - Birmingham, West Midlands Branch Our Birmingham, West Midlands friendship weekend was organised as part of the run up to the 2020 IPA 70th anniversary celebrations. The weekend was structured to allow the option of attending specific activities, or to book the whole weekend. IPA Members travelled from across the UK, as well as from Ireland, France and Germany. W elcome Evening: The weekend began with a welcome buffet held at Tally Ho Sports and Social club. Guests were greeted by a bagpiper and the Strand, in London. It is said that the choice of symbol was made on the toss of a coin, which resulted in Birmingham winning the Anchor and Sheffield with the Crown.

After the demonstrations, we took an opportunity for presentations to branch members who had reached 20, 30, 40 and 50 years’ IPA membership. Branch Chair Tom Chisholm and Vice-Chair Simon Hensley presented the certificates and 20-year pin badges. Simon Hensley also surprised a few guests with a genuine ‘Acme Police Whistle’. Acme are a Birmingham based company (J. Hudson & Co.) who have made the Metropolitan Police Whistle since 1870. Simon contacted the company and explained about the Friendship Weekend. Acme made a really kind gesture and donated a limited- edition whistle, adorned with the IPA logo, to the

drummer, kindly provided by ex-DC Don Campbell and Rob Lawrie. Tally Ho is the West Midlands

From there we visited Farmer’s Bridge Locks; the largest rise of locks on Birmingham’s 100- mile network. We really do have more canals than Venice. We also passed the Malt House pub, where Former US President Bill Clinton famously enjoyed a pint. There is a lot of building work going on around Centenary Square, but this doesn’t detract from the architecture of buildings like Birmingham Library and the Hall of Memory. From there we returned to the canals at Gas Street Basin, which is a beautiful area surrounded by bars and restaurants. Apparently,

Police Sports & Conference Centre, and is the usual venue for our branch meetings. It was

an excellent location for

some outside activities, like the Police dog display put on by PC Paul Hopley, Dog trainer Dave Hibbert, and Police Dog Stark. Dave allowed himself to be chased, mauled and bitten for our amusement. Dave also brought along Police Puppy Arthur, who was a real treat. We were then joined by the Firearms Operations Unit. PC Davey, PC Knox, PC Bradley and PC Brabham gave us an insight into the unit’s

first twenty people booked to attend. Saturday Morning began with a guided

Cliff Richard once made a film in Gas Street Basin. ( Take me High 1973). The tour continued past the recently opened Grand Central Station, which glistened in the midday sun, before reaching Chamberlain Square, which houses the Council House, the Town Hall and some excellent statues and

tour around some of Birmingham’s hidden

delights. Lifelong Birmingham resident, history enthusiast, narrow-boater and West Midlands PCSO, Richard Hodson, led us around his

personal highlights. Our tour started in Birmingham’s famous

Jewellery Quarter, at the grave of Moses Barber; the first Birmingham City Police Officer to die in service in 1853. We then took in St. Paul’s Church, before visiting Birmingham’s Assay Office. This is one of only four Assay Offices in the country, which test the purity of precious metals. The hallmark of the Birmingham Assay Office is the Anchor, and its origin is closely linked with the Sheffield hallmark of the Crown. Prior to the inauguration of Birmingham and Sheffield Assay Offices in 1773, meetings were held at a public house called the Crown and Anchor, on

monuments. Our walking tour ended at St. Philip’s Cathedral, in what is affectionately called ‘Pigeon Park’. After lunch at a local eatery, we visited the Lock- Up, in Steelhouse Lane. This is a unique venue where some of the real Peaky Blinders and other famous prisoners, like Fred West, were kept before attending the adjacent courtrooms for their hearing. The Lock-Up was decommissioned in 2016, when West Midlands Police moved their central custody facility to a purpose-built location at Perry Barr. Exhibits from the Police Museum

work. They allowed us to handle the training weapons and demonstrated the huge amount of equipment they carry. One of our French guests provided a comparison, as French Armed Response Vehicles carry three officers. Given the amount of equipment in the ARV, we struggled to see how a third officer would fit.

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